HIGHLY MINIATURIZED, BATTERY OPERATED, DIGITAL WIRELESS CAMERA USING PROGRAMMABLE SINGLE CHIP ACTIVE PIXEL SENSOR (APS) DIGITAL CAMERA CHIP

• US 20090122169A1
• Filed: 12/14/2007
• Published: 05/14/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: California Institute of Technology
• Original Assignee: California Institute of Technology
• Inventors: Satorius, Ed H., Nixon, Bob H., Agan, Martin J., Stevens, Gary L., Shaw, Tim J., Pasqualino, Chris, Olson, Brita H., Fossum, Eric R., Pain, Bedabrata
• Granted Patent: US 8,085,342 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/294
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/50 Constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/57 Mechanical or electrical details of cameras or camera modules specially adapted for being embedded in other devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/651 for reducing power consumption by affecting camera operations, e.g. sleep mode, hibernation mode or power off of selective parts of the camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/66 Remote control of cameras or camera parts, e.g. by remote control devices

Abstract

A miniaturized camera which is programmable and provides low power consumption. An active pixel image sensor used in the highly miniaturized camera provides improved imaging functionality as well as reduced power consumption, extending the possible life time of the camera system. The spread spectrum nature of transmission and reception improves data integrity as well as data security. The ability of the highly miniaturized wireless camera to receive commands as well as transmit image data provides improved functionality and a variable rate of power consumption to be set according to the application and needs of the situation.

Claims

1. A single-chip wireless camera comprising:

a receiving element;

an active pixel sensor having a plurality of addressable units, each said unit associated with a pixel processing element;

active pixel sensor control circuitry, including circuiting that addresses and controls reading operation of the active pixel sensor;

a power management element, which allows an operating state in which circuitry of the chip is powered and a sleep state in which most circuitry is unpowered; and

control logic coupled to the receiving element and the active pixel sensor, operating to command the active pixel sensor from said sleep state to said operating state in response to command signals received via the receiving antenna.

2. The camera of claim 1 further comprising a transmitter.

3. The wireless camera system of claim 1 where the command signals are digital signals and the active pixel sensor circuitry logic converts at least one of the digital command signals to an analog signal to operate the active pixel sensor.

4. The wireless camera system of claim 1 where the command signals cause the camera to change between an imaging mode and an idle mode.

5. The wireless camera system of claim 4 where the camera consumes less power while operating in idle mode than while operating in imaging mode.

6. The wireless camera system of claim 1 where the command signals cause the camera to change between an imaging mode and a sub-sampling mode.

7. The wireless camera system of claim 6 where the camera processes less image information while operating in sub-sampling mode than while operating in imaging mode.

8. A camera comprising:

a casing;

a lens mounted in the casing;

an electrical connection for a battery, inside the casing;

a transmitting antenna mounted on the casing;

a receiving antenna mounted on the casing;

an active pixel sensor having a plurality of addressable units, each said unit associated with a photogate-type photosensitive element, inside the casing, optically coupled to the lens and electrically coupled to the battery; and

control logic inside the casing and coupled to the transmitting antenna, the receiving antenna, the active pixel sensor, and the electrical connection, said control logic controlling operation of the camera.

9. The camera of claim 8 where the active pixel sensor is a single integrated circuit comprising:

a pixel matrix of photogate-type photosensitive elements;

a row driver and decoder coupled to the pixel matrix;

a column decoder coupled to the pixel matrix;

a plurality of analog to digital converters coupled to the pixel matrix and each associated with a unit of the pixel matrix;

at least one digital to analog converter coupled to the pixel matrix; and

a control and timing circuit coupled to the row driver and decoder, the column decoder, the analog to digital converter, and the digital to analog converter.

10. The camera of claim 8 where the volume of the camera as a whole is not more than approximately four cubic inches.

11. A wireless camera system including the camera of claim 8 and further comprising a base station, where the base station receives signals transmitted from the camera and transmits signals to be received by the camera.

12. The wireless camera system of claim 11 where the base station transmits command signals to be received by the camera which cause the camera to change among an imaging mode, a sub-sampling mode, and an idle mode.

13. The wireless camera system of claim 12 where the camera consumes less power while operating in idle mode than while operating in imaging mode.

14. The wireless camera system of claim 12 where when the camera is in idle mode power is supplied through the electrical connection only to those components of the camera necessary to maintain the idle mode and be able to change to a different mode.

15. The wireless camera system of claim 12 where the camera processes less image information while operating in sub-sampling mode than while operating in imaging mode.

16. The wireless camera system of claim 15 when the active pixel sensor is in sub-sampling mode only a portion of the units of the active pixel sensor is used to gather image data.

17. A highly miniaturized wireless camera comprising:

a casing having an opening;

a lens mounted in the opening in the casing;

a transmitting antenna mounted coupled to the casing;

a receiving antenna mounted coupled to the casing;

a semiconductor substrate, having;

a) an active pixel sensor optically coupled to the lens inside the casing, including a pixel matrix of photosensitive elements, where each photosensitive element is associated with a unit of the pixel matrix;

b) at least one decoder, coupled to the pixel matrix, and addressing units of said pixel matrix;

c) a control interface, adapted to receive a serial control;

d) a serial digital to analog converter coupled to receive data from said serial control, and produce an analog value therefrom;

e) a plurality of analog to digital converters coupled to the pixel matrix and associated with units of the pixel matrix to produce digital outputs based on outputs of the pixel matrix using said analog value;

f) a control and timing circuit coupled to the row driver and decoder, the column decoder, the analog to digital converter, and the digital to analog converter;

g) an electrical connection for a source of power;

h) a plurality of clock circuits; and

i) control logic coupled to the active pixel sensor image sensor;

transmitting circuits coupled between the control logic and the transmitting antenna, inside the casing;

receiving circuits coupled between the control logic and the receiving antenna, inside the casing; and

a power control circuit coupled to the electrical connection and at least one clock circuit, where all other components of the camera which consume power are coupled to the power control circuit.